Brewing a strong cup of tea

I would like to brew the strongest possible cup of hot tea and a strong iced tea. What are the absolute best ways and how long before it loses potency?

ANSWER:

How to Brew A Strong Cup of Tea

Thanks for the question. How to brew a strong cup of tea - or the strongest tea possible. There is actually a fine line and it is affected by the type of tea you use, the quality of your water, the material of the steeping device and how long you steep the tea.

So, the bottom line is you will have to test! Try 5 minutes using less water than you normally would for your tea leaves. If you steep too long, your tea will be bitter, which I am sure you already know!

As far as how long it will keep (for iced tea too), the general rule is drink it within 24 hours.

Bacteria can begin to grow even refrigerated, so please stick to the 24 hour rule.

One more thing, don't STIR the tea or press the tea bag or tea leaves in a strainer, just let it steep. Stirring and pressing the tea leaves can cause a bitter tasting tea.